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Beltre may join Dominican Classic team in Round 2

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre says he will know in a few days if he will join the Dominican Republic in the second round of the World Baseball Classic.

There are two issues at hand: Beltre is not happy with the way he is swinging the bat, and officials from the Dominican Republic are double-checking the rule about adding players to the tournament. Beltre was on the provisional roster originally submitted.

"I talked to the general manager and he said he would check and let me know in the next day or two," Beltre said. "But they don't need me. They've got a pretty good team. The only question was starting pitching, but they're doing OK. I hope they go and win the whole thing."

Beltre was 1-for-3 on Sunday in the Rangers 7-6 victory over the Indians, leaving him 4-for-16 on the spring. He missed the first ten days of Cactus League play because of a strained right calf muscle and has played in just five of the Rangers' first 16 games.

"I've only had 10-to-15 at-bats," Beltre said. "It's just the fact that I'm not recognizing pitches. If I'm looking for one pitch, I can hit it, but I'm not tracking the ball like I want to. It could take 2-to-3 days, or it could take a month. I really don't know."

Beltre joked that if the Dominican Republic really needs somebody, they should ask Jeff Baker. He went 2-for-3 against the Indians on Sunday and is now hitting .500 (15-for-30) on the spring.

"If they want to win, they should put him on our team," Beltre said. "But he's American. If he starts dating a girl from the Dominican, he's right there."